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Synonyms

welfare state

American  

noun

  1. a state in which the welfare of the people in such matters as social security, health and education, housing, and working conditions is the responsibility of the government.

welfare state British  

noun

  1. a system in which the government undertakes the chief responsibility for providing for the social and economic security of its population, usually through unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, and other social-security measures

  2. a social system characterized by such policies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
welfare state 1 Cultural  

  1. An economic system that combines features of capitalism and socialism by retaining private ownership while the government enacts broad programs of social welfare, such as pensions and public housing.

welfare state 2 Cultural  

  1. A state or government that promotes public welfare through programs of public health, pensions, unemployment compensation, public housing, and the like. The expression welfare state is often used by those hostile to government intervention in these areas.

Etymology

Origin of welfare state

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the wealthy nation of six million people, the campaign has instead focused on domestic issues, including inflation, the welfare state and high nitrate levels in water from agriculture.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Former student leader Boric defeated Kast in 2021 on a promise to establish a welfare state after mass demonstrations in 2019 over inequality.

From Barron's • Nov. 16, 2025

The party, founded by Juan and Eva Perón in the 1940s and long associated with Argentina’s welfare state, remains a formidable force but failed to mobilize disenchanted voters as inflation eased from its historic highs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

We're at the end of the old welfare state.

From BBC • Sep. 18, 2025

By this argument, belief in demonic magic ought not to have declined until there was a general improvement in living standards, and perhaps not until the development of the welfare state.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.